Former teacher jailed

A former Lakeside Elementary teacher was sentenced Thursday for up to 10 years in jail for sexually assaulting a boy, before being employed at the Wayne Highlands School District.

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By Kelly Waters

Wayne Independent - Honesdale, PA

By Kelly Waters

Posted Apr. 20, 2013 at 12:30 AM

By Kelly Waters

Posted Apr. 20, 2013 at 12:30 AM

MONTROSE

- A former Lakeside Elementary teacher was sentenced Thursday for up to 10 years in jail for sexually assaulting a boy, before being employed at the Wayne Highlands School District.

Kyle Justin Cobb, 28 of Union Dale, was sentenced between 18 months and 10 years in state prison for statutory sexual assault that occurred between 2005 and 2007. His sentence included five years probation for indecent assault. He was sentenced by Judge Kenneth W. Seamans.

In January Cobb pleaded guilty in Susquehanna County Court to one felony count of statutory sexual assault and a misdemeanor count of indecent assault of a person under the age of 13.

Originally, he was charged with felony counts of rape including forcible compulsion, rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 13 years of age, involuntary deviate intercourse — forceable compulsion and two counts of aggravated indecent assault. He was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault.

Cobb had been teaching at the district for about two years before the victim came forward to police.

The original allegations came in March of last year when the victim told police he had been molested by Cobb when he was between the ages of 11 and 13 years. He told police the incidents happened when he was visiting the Cobb family farm outside of Union Dale. That victim is now an adult.

The victim reported the incidents to Children and Youth Services in Susquehanna County. He said he was sexually assaulted on various occasions between 2005 and 2007 when he was 11-13 years old. Cobb was 19-20 years old at the time of the incidents.

When those charges came out, Cobb was immediately suspended without pay from his job as a fourth grade teacher at Lakeside Elementary in Honesdale.

On Aug. 21, 2012, Cobb was terminated from his job by the Wayne Highlands School Board. That motion passed unanimously following a 45 minute executive session by the board. No discussion took place, only the motion to terminate Cobb's employment. Board president Tom Fasshauer did say after the executive that it was an "important discussion."

According to court documents in Susquehanna County, Cobb told police during a March 24, 2012, interview that he had engaged in oral sex with the child on one occasion and another assault took place while the two were riding four-wheelers near Union Dale.

Court documents indicate that Cobb struck a deal with the District Attorney in Susquehanna County and may possibly spend only a year and a half behind bars. The maximum sentence is up to 15 years in prison.

Page 2 of 8 - President Judge Kenneth Seamans said he would honor the plea agreement between Cobb and the district attorney's office.

After his arrest, Cobb was placed under $100,000 bond. He did make bail and has been out since. Cobb remains out on bond until he is sentenced in April.

Cobb was hired in July 2010 to work as a fourth grade teacher, according to Superintendent Greg Frigoletto.

Frigoletto said that Cobb passed all of the required background checks with a "clean slate."

Those checks are conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police and Children and Youth Services.

"There was no record of anything," said Frigoletto last year following the arrest of Cobb.

Hate crime at summer camp

Tyler Cole Spencer, 18, of Linden, Tenn. was also sentenced on Thursday for making threats and racial comments at Camp Bonim in Wayne County.

His co-defendants were Cassandra Robertson, 18 and Mark Trail, 22, both of Honesdale.

Trail was sentenced on Feb. 28 to the Wayne County Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 6 months nor more than 36 months for one count of Ethnic Intimidation, graded as a Felony of the 2nd Degree, three counts of Terroristic Threats, graded as a Misdemeanors of the 1st Degree and one count of

Criminal Conspiracy-Simple Assault, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree. Trail pleaded guilty to those charges in December 2012.

Trail was also ordered to pay all Court costs, pay a fine in the amount of $2,250, pay restitution in the amount of $275, refrain from entering Camp Bonim, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and comply with all recommendations for treatment, attend and complete an anger management program, obtain full time employment upon being released from prison, and submit to a DNA sample and pay $250 for the cost of the sample.

The incident took place between July 13-16, 2012 in Clinton and Canaan townships.

While at the camp, they drove through the camp at high rates of speed in a large pickup truck, owned by Spencer, which damaged fields and open areas. They also chased campers and councilors with the vehicle and shot at them with a paintball gun.

Trail, according to an affidavit from Pennsylvania State Police, added that the group was also responsible for damage done to the R.D. Wilson Elementary School in Waymart.

Page 3 of 8 - Robertson will also be charged in the case.

Spencer was sentenced in two separate cases, to the

Wayne County Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 8 months nor more

than 54 months for one count of Ethnic Intimidation, graded as a Felony of the 3rd

Degree, three counts of Terroristic Threats-Cause Serious Public Inconvenience, graded as a Misdemeanors of the 1st Degree one count of Criminal Conspiracy-Simple

Assault, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree, one count of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree and one count of Careless Driving, graded as a Summary offense.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs, pay restitution in the amount of $325, pay a fine in the amount of $2,525, submit to the drawing of a DNA sample and pay $250 for the cost of the sample undergo a mental health evaluation and comply with all recommendations for treatment, complete an anger management program and obtain full time employment

upon being released from prison.

The incidents occurred between July 13, 2012, and

July 16, 2012. The first incident pertains to Clinton Township when Spencer and

several others, on three separate occasions, caused damage to a local camp and

threatened campers using ethnic slurs. This same group also did damage to fields at

the R.D. Wilson School.

The second incident occurred in Honesdale Borough when Spencer hit a pedestrian with a vehicle causing injury to the pedestrian.

Here are the other cases addressed by Raymond L. Hamill, President Judge, Wayne County:

JOSEPH CONROY, age 54 of Honesdale, PA was sentenced to a State Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 13 months nor more than 60 months for one count of Terroristic Threats, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 1st Degree.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs, and have no contact with the victims in this matter.

The incident occurred on August 12, 2012, in Lehigh Township when Conroy threatened to kill a female victim and her minor grandchildren.

JAMES EDWARD MIHALIS, age 54 of Honesdale, PA was sentenced to the Wayne County Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 9 months nor more than 5 years less one day for one count of Aggravated Assault-Deadly Weapon, graded as Felony of the 2nd Degree, one count of Simple Assault, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree, one count of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, graded as

Page 4 of 8 - Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree and one count of Harassment-Strike, Shove, Kick, graded as a Summary offense.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs, pay

restitution in the amount of $686.34, pay a fine in the amount of $300, undergo a

drug and alcohol evaluation as well as a mental health evaluation and comply with all recommendations for treatment, complete an anger management program, and submit to the drawing of a DNA sample and pay $250 for the cost of the sample. The incident occurred on June 29, 2012, in Berlin Township when Mihalis struck a male victim with a sai (a martial arts weapon). Mihalis was convicted by a Jury on January 23, 2013.

JASON L. GINETTO, age 30 of Honesdale, PA was sentenced to a State Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 36 months nor more than 120 months for two counts of Theft By Deception, graded as a Felonies of the 3rd Degree.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs, pay a fine in the amount of $1,000, and pay restitution in the amount of $8,788.32. The incident occurred between November 6, 2012, and November 14, 2012, in Honesdale Borough when Ginetto passed several

bad checks. May of the bad checks were used to purchase jewelry which Ginetto then pawned or sold.

ANDREW ZIMAR, age 23 of Honesdale, PA was sentenced to the Wayne County Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 30 days nor more than 18 months for one count of Simple Assault, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs, pay a fine in the amount of $500, pay restitution in the amount of $600,have no contact with the victim in this matter, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and comply with all recommendations for treatment, complete an anger management program and obtain full time employment upon being released from

prison.

The incident occurred on December 4, 2012, in Preston Township when Zimar pushed a female victim to the ground causing injury.

CY WOODMANSEE, age 39 of Poyntelle, PA was sentenced to the Wayne County Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 15 days nor more than 23 ½ months for one count of Simple Assault, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs, pay a fine in the amount of $1,000, pay

restitution in the amount of $6,474.60, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and

Page 5 of 8 - comply with all recommendations for treatment, have no contact with the victim in this

matter and possess no firearms on the premises where the incident occurred.

The incident occurred on August 18, 2012, in Preston Township when Woodmansee attacked a male victim causing a broken jaw.

KEVIN HUNT, JR., age 27 of Vandling, PA was sentenced to a State Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 12 months nor more than 24 months for one count of Resisting Arrest or Other Law Enforcement, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs. The incident occurred on June 22, 2012, in Clinton Township when Hunt attempted to run away from Police Officers during his arrest.

CHARLES A. JOSEPH, age 34 of Honesdale, PA was placed on the Intermediate

Punishment Program for a period of 90 days for one count of Driving While Operating Privileges Suspended/Revoked, graded as a Summary offense.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs, be placed on house arrest with electronic monitoring for a period of 60 days, pay a fine in the amount of $500 and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and comply with all recommendations for treatment.

The incident occurred September 10, 2012, in Dyberry Township when Pennsylvania State Police observed Joseph traveling with an expired inspection sticker.

ROBERT NOWALK, age 53 of Browndale, PA was sentenced to the Wayne County Correctional Facility for a period of not less than 72 hours nor more than 6 months for one count of DUI-Highest Rate, an ungraded Misdemeanor.

He was also ordered to pay all Court costs, pay a fine in the amount of $1,000 and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and comply with all recommendations for treatment.

The incident occurred on October 26, 2012, in Clinton Township when an officer of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission observed Nowalk riding a motorcycle. His BAC was .165%.

JOSEPH PHILLIP, age 67 of Beach Lake, PA pled guilty to one count of DUI-Highest Rate, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 1st Degree. The incident occurred on December 30, 2012, in Damascus Township. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2013.

SABRINA CAVEZZA, age 23 of Greentown, PA pled guilty to one count of Retail Theft-Take Merchandise, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree. The incident occurred on January 10, 2013, in Salem Township. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

Page 6 of 8 - JACOB HARVEY, age 33 OF Honesdale, PA pled guilty to one count of Harassment-Communicate Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Lang, a Misdemeanor of the 3rd Degree. The incident occurred between February 8, 2010, and March 12, 2012, in Honesdale Borough. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

ROSEANNE M. WOOD, age 35 of Hawley, PA pled guilty to one count of Receiving Stolen Property, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 1st Degree. The incident occurred on July 14, 2011, in Hawley Borough. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2013.

LUCIA DOBROMIRESCU, age 28 of Hancock, NY plead guilty to one count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, an ungraded Misdemeanor. The incident occurred on November 1, 2012, in Waymart Borough. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2013.

TYLER WILLIAMS, age 22 of Plains, PA pled guilty to one count of Bad Checks, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree. The incident occurred on October 27, 2012, in Honesdale Borough. His is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

BETSY ARNOLD, age 34 of Honesdale, PA pled guilty to one count of Theft By Unlawful Taking or Disposition, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 1st Degree and one count of Theft By Failure to Make Required Disposition of Funds Received, graded as a

Misdemeanor of the 1st Degree. The incidents occurred between October 24, 2012, and November 21, 2012, in Texas Township. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2013.

RYAN HOWELL, age 24 of Gouldsboro, PA pled guilty to one count of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree and one count of Driving While Operating Privilege Suspended/Revoked, graded as a Summary offense. The incident occurred on December 21, 2012, in Lehigh Township. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

KIMBERLY MANAHAN, age 36 of Beach Lake, PA pled guilty to one count of Delivery of Controlled Substance, an ungraded Felony. The incident occurred between

February 9, 2012, and February 13, 2012, in Texas Township. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6, 2013.

EMILIE BLAYLOCK, age 28 of Damascus, PA pled guilty to one count of Theft By Unlawful Taking or Disposition, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 3rd Degree. The incident occurred on August 22, 2012, in Damascus Township. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6, 2013.

MICHAEL MOON, age 44 of Hawley, PA pled guilty to one count of DUI-Highest Rate, an ungraded Misdemeanor. The incident occurred on January 3, 2013, in Palmrya Township. His BAC was .170%. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

MICHAEL S. WILSON, age 18 of Harris, NY pled guilty to one count of Criminal Conspiracy-Theft, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 1st Degree. The incident occurred between September 19, 2012, and September 20, 2012, in Damascus Township. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2013.

Page 7 of 8 - TIMOTHY TODD EVERARD, JR., age 26 of Honesdale, PA pled guilty to one cunt of Retail Theft-Take Merchandise, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 1st Degree. The incident occurred on August 23, 2012, in Texas Township. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2013.

JAMES R. MANOY, age 51 of Bethany, PA pled guilty to one count of DUI-Highest

Rate, an ungraded Misdemeanor and one count of Driving While Operating Privilege Suspend/Revoked, graded as a Summary offense. The incident occurred on November 18, 2012, in Honesdale Borough. His BAC was .186%. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

JOSEPH COSGROVE, age 41 of Carbondale, PA pled guilty to one count of

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, an ungraded Misdemeanor. The incident occurred on November 22, 2012, in Waymart Borough. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2013.

DAVID L. KILMER, age 30 of Clifford, PA pled guilty, in two separate cases, to one count of Terroristic Threats- Violent Crime With Intent to Terrorize, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 1st Degree, one count of Simple Assault-Physical Menace, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree, one count of False Imprisonment, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree, one count of Simple Assault, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree and one count of Criminal Mischief-Damage Property, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree.

The incidents occurred between November 1, 2012, and March 27, 2013, in Clinton Township when Kilmer assaulted a female victim. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

DANNIE A. PICKARD, age 30 of Lake Ariel, PA pled guilty to one count of DUI-Highest Rate, an ungraded Misdemeanor. The incident occurred on December 22, 2012, in Honesdale Borough. His BAC was .271%. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

BRONWYN D. FISCHER, age 50 of Lake Ariel, PA pled guilty to one count of DUI, an ungraded Misdemeanor. The incident occurred on August 7, 2012, in Texas Township.

Her BAC was .104%. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2013.

MARK K. KENNY, age 70 of Newfoundland, PA pled guilty to one count of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, graded as a Misdemeanor of the 2nd Degree, one count of Disorderly Conduct-Hazardous/Offensive Cond, graded as Misdemeanor of the 3rd Degree and one count of Exceed Maximum Speed Limit Established by 20 MPH, graded as a Summary offense. The incident occurred on October 22, 2012, in Lake Township. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2013.

CHARLES E. BUCKLEY, age 57 of Hancock, NY pled guilty to one count of DUI-Highest Rate, an ungraded Misdemeanor. The incident occurred on July 28, 2012, in

Page 8 of 8 - Preston Township. His BAC was .219%. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2013.